“Easily distinguishable: Worker ants infected with the tapeworm are yellow in color. A parasite can extend the lifespan of ants. Researchers in Mainz have investigated how this works. The parasite’s trick: it causes worker ants to resemble queens. Zoologists at Gutenberg University have discovered how a tapeworm helps ants live longer. The researchers studied queens and workers of the species *Temnothorax nylanderi*. They analyzed gene activity in the insects' fat bodies and brains to determine how infection with the parasite *Anomotaenia brevis* affected their metabolism. In the fat body, the tapeworm triggered changes that made the workers more closely resemble queens at the molecular level. This is associated with a longer lifespan: queens can live up to 20 years, whereas workers typically live for one to two years. In the brain, the parasite dampened molecular processes that influence behavior, food intake, and social interactions. The ants' extended lifespan and calmer behavior may benefit the tapeworm, as the insects serve as intermediate hosts—while woodpeckers are the definitive hosts. According to the Mainz researchers, the tapeworm-ant relationship can serve as a model for studying how parasites influence the aging and behavior of their hosts.”
“Easily distinguishable: Worker ants infected with the tapeworm are yellow in color.
A parasite can extend the lifespan of ants. Researchers in Mainz have investigated how this works. The parasite’s trick: it causes worker ants to resemble queens.
Zoologists at Gutenberg University have discovered how a tapeworm helps ants live longer. The researchers studied queens and workers of the species *Temnothorax nylanderi*. They analyzed gene activity in the insects' fat bodies and brains to determine how infection with the parasite *Anomotaenia brevis* affected their metabolism.
In the fat body, the tapeworm triggered changes that made the workers more closely resemble queens at the molecular level. This is associated with a longer lifespan: queens can live up to 20 years, whereas workers typically live for one to two years.
In the brain, the parasite dampened molecular processes that influence behavior, food intake, and social interactions. The ants' extended lifespan and calmer behavior may benefit the tapeworm, as the insects serve as intermediate hosts—while woodpeckers are the definitive hosts. According to the Mainz researchers, the tapeworm-ant relationship can serve as a model for studying how parasites influence the aging and behavior of their hosts.”
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